The Youngest Birder

when DnA asked me if they could take KTB (Kavya-the-Biddles) birding to Valley School…so off we went this morning! At the age of 1 year and 2 months, she is definitely the youngest birdwatcher I know.

Here’s the family, all ready to start birding:

We were, quite literally, up with the lark…at least, this

JERDON’S BUSHLARK:

We were soon joined by the Valley School dog (there were 3, actually)
Our sightings started on a high note when we saw this
ORIENTAL HONEY BUZZARD
atop a tree:
Then I pointed out the
LAUGHING DOVE
and the
ASHY PRINIA
sitting on the same tin roof!
A
SCALY-BREASTED MUNIA
was obviously engaged in home construction:
DnA enjoyed seeing the "clown" red cheek patches of the
RED-WHISKERED BULBUL:
they all listened to the
ORIENTAL MAGPIE ROBIN
singing:
They didn't know that the
WHITE-BREASTED KINGFISHER
ate insects as well as fish:
My daughter spotted the
BLUE-FACED MALKOHA
ahead of everyone:
KM, meanwhile, looked at the
WHITE-BROWED BULBUL:
It was lovely to see this
COPPERSMITH BARBET
visiting its nest, without any fear of us!
These juvenile
GREEN BEE-EATERS
made a lovely picture against the blue sky:
At the pond area, we watched the resident
TICKELL'S BLUE FLYCATCHER
singing so beautifully:
There was a
FANTAIL FLYCATCHER
too, but I couldn't get a photograph!
At the far edge of the pond, I saw these
COMMON MOORHENS:
It was fun to watch people going single file across the pond bund:
Though KTB was generally well-behaved, there were episodes of "Carry me! I won't walk any more!" (Sometimes, on long birding trips, I also feel like doing the same!)
DnA enjoyed clicking each other as much as their surroundings:
I caught some of the butterflies around, alas, not all of them!
Here's a
WHITE-YELLOW TIP:
This dragonfly's a
SCARLET MARSH HAWK:
and a
TAWNY COSTER:
I pointed out the copper pods that give the
COPPER-POD SHIELD-BEARER TREE
its name:
KTB, of course, also enjoyed the antics of this puppy....
and, even more, the antics of this baby
MACAQUE:

So, though the need for KTB’s breakfast, and the increasing heat, cut our birding trip short, it was a most enjoyable one, and here are DnAnK, posing for us….